Tighter Security Controls At Costa Rica's
Airports For US Bound Flights
At the request of the United States the
Dirección General de Aviación Civil (DGAC)
has tightened its security protocols at the
Juan Santamaría (San José) and Daniel Oduber
(Libera) international airports on flights
to the US.
The measure follows the attempted terrorist
attack on Christmas day on a flight from
Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan.
Among the changes are that passengers will
not be able to carry on their carry on any
powdered substance. Items like coffee,
sugar, salt, cacao or powdered milk are a no
on, unless they are purchased within the
terminal's retail stores.
Jorge Fernández, director of Aviación Civil,
is emphatic that passengers travelling to
the US should buy items like coffee only
from stores in the airport terminal - these
are the stores beyond the security checks,
near the boarding gates.
The only exception to the rule, according to
Fernández are prescribed medical items and
infant formula and milk. However, these
items will be closely inspected by the
Policía Aeroportuaria (airport police)
before boarding.
The restrictions on liquids, like gels,
creams, toothpaste, etc, continues if they
are in packaging over 100ml.
Also xray machines and metal detectors will
continue to inspect carry on luggage.
Fernández said that in addition to all of
this, passengers on US bound flights will
have to submit to a final boarding
inspection, this being done by the airlines,
independent of the security checks and
controsl of the DGAC.
Although the tightened security measures are
geared towards US bound flihts, Copa
airlines, part Continental airlines, said it
would be adhering to the US security
measures though Copa has no direct flights
to the US from Costa Rica.
The director of the Policía de Vigilancia
Aérea stationed at the Santamaría and Oduber
airports, Glen Pacheco, said that passengers
can expect more exhaustive checks to impede
passengers from boarding with any dangerous
substance or material.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
